In Sicilian dialect, "idda" means "she". This is how the locals refer to Etna, that giant of fire and snow that dominates the eastern coast of the island. It is also the name that Angelo Gaja and Alberto Graci chose to seal, in 2017, the first joint venture of their respective histories.
Angelo Gaja, the guardian figure of Barbaresco, had since the late 1990s carried the striking memory of an excursion on the slopes of Etna, made alongside the oenologist Giacomo Tachis. For his part, Alberto Graci had been cultivating nerello mascalese on the northern slope of the volcano since 2004. Their meeting in 2015 gave rise to a shared conviction : the future of Etna also lies on its south-western slope, the least known of the volcano.
It is there, between Biancavilla and Belpasso, at an altitude of between 600 and 820 metres, that the IDDA vineyard takes root. The soils of Biancavilla carry the geological memory of the Ellittico, a volcano that became extinct more than 50,000 years ago. More clayey and silty than the surrounding land, they impart a singular depth to the wines. At Belpasso, the landscape transforms : stony and sandy soils, outcropping rocks, opening towards the plain of Catania. The thermal amplitude averages 18°C, imposing a slow maturation, conducive to the preservation of acidity and aromatic complexity.
Two cuvées embody this geological richness : the Etna Rosso 2023 displays notes of blood orange, pistachio and terracotta, underpinned by a fine tannic structure and a minerality evoking flint. The Sicilia Bianco 2024 releases fragrances of lime, white almond and wild herbs, shot through with a lively acidity and a resolutely saline finish.
"We acknowledge that Etna is stronger than everything. Etna will determine the identity of the wine we will produce, and we will follow it." These words from Alberto Graci bear witness to a profound humility before the terroir, which guides every decision : from the choice of massal selections to the work in the cellar, to express the full greatness of high-altitude wines.
